Hydraulic gear shifting mechanism



May. 20, 1941- c. D. PETERSON ETAL 2,242,542

' HYDRAULIC GEAR SHIFITVING1 MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheefl ATTORNEYS.

1' c. D; PETERSON ET A1. 2,242,542

HYDRAULIC GEAR SHIF'IING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQRS.

ATTORNEYS- y 1941- 'c. D. PETERsbN ET AL 2,242,542

HYDRAULIC GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet a Jinn/1014010130. in

5% I INVENTORS, BY .@/M%W 1,5

ATTORNEYS May 20, 1941.

HYDRAULIC GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet '4 INVENTORS.

BY-.L%%%%W v y ATTORNEYS.

c. D. PETERSON ET AL 2,242,542

Patented May 20, 1941 f UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE 2,242,542 4 HYDRAULIC GEAR snrr'rmo MECHANISM Carl 1). Peterson, Robert a. Burkhaltcrand Elmer J. Barth, Toledo, Ohio, assignors. to Spicer Manufacturing Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Virginia Application October 5, 1938, Serial No. 233,440 3 Claims. v1(oi. 74-346) This invention relates to remote control gear shifting mechanism for selective change-speed transmission gearings, such as are used in motor 'vehicles, and has for its general object a simple and compact mechanism by which the shifts in the transmission gearing are effected by fluid displacement controlled by a shifting lever remote from the transmission gearing, as on the steering column of the vehicle, or in any other location convenient to the driver.

More specifically, it has for its object such a shifting mechanism in which the shift to be made is effected by a selecting. movement of the operating or hand lever and the shifting effected through hydraulic mechanism or by fluid 'displacement'by the fore-and-aft movement of the operating or hand lever.

It also has for its object a reversely movable pump mechanism for pumping a hydraulic liquid to pressure-operated devices associated with the transmission gearing to shift the shiftable parts thereof, the pump being actuated in one direction or the other, when the fore-and-aft move-- ment of the operating or hand lever is eifected.

I It further has for its object a gear shifting mechanism which can be readily applied to either a right or left hand driven or steered vehicle and in either case arranged to be operated by the right or left hand of the driver.

Other objects will appear throughout the spec- The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in. all the views.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the general arrangement of the selecting and shifting inechanism relative tothe steering column and Figure 6 is a sectional view on an' enlarged scale taken approximately on the line of 66,

Figure5.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the shifting mechanifii associated with the transmission gearing, itbeing located in a housing constitutingthe cover for the gear box of the gearing.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view on line. 8-8, Figure 7, the contiguous portion of the gear box being also shown, the selector being shown as having a left hand drive.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view through the portion of the casing for the shifting member in which the selector is located, and showing'the arrangement of the selector and grooves therein relative to theshift rods for aright hand drive.

Figure 10 is a sectional view of a modified form of pump of that shown in Figure 6. Y

Figure 11 is a sectional view similar to Figure 8 of a modified form of shifting mechanism in which one rod is shifted by the hydraulic mech-' anism to eifect all the shifts, instead of each of the shifting rodsshifted by pressure devices, as cylinders and pistons individual thereto, as in Figures '1 and 8, the rod shifted in Figure. 11'

being the selector rod.

Figure 12 is a sectional view on line |2 |2, Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view of the casing showing the housing for the shifter rods and a modified form of the pressure-operated means or cylinders and pistons for efieoting the throws of the shifting rods different distances, but with the fore-and-aft movement of the shifting lever for the different shifts uniform. I

This selecting and shifting mechanism for change-speed transmission gearing includes, generally,-operating mechanism-for the shifters, as shift rods, including an operating or hand lever having a fore-and-aft shifting movement, and a selecting movement laterally relative to the shifting movement, motion-transmitting means be tween the lever and the selector, which coacts with the shifters or shift rods, to operate the selector during the selecting movement of the lever, and motion-transmitting means between the lever and the selected shifter to shift the same during the fore-and-aft movement of the lever, the latter motion-transmitting means op erated by the fluid displacement and including A a pump having a reverselyoperable member,

Y by the fore or aft movement of the selecting which is actuated in one direction or the other,

and shifting lever, and pressure-operated devices, as'cylinders and pistons, which actuate the shift rod in one direction or the other, in accordance with the direction of movement of the hand lever, and conduits connecting the casing of the pump and the fluid operated devices, the conduits being connected to the pump casing on opposite'sides of the movable member of the pump, so that movement in one direction, as .fore, displaces the fluid in one conduit and peller or pump and pressure-operated devices,

It also includes a suitable reservoir for keeping the system filled.

The hand lever is usually so arranged that its fore-and-aft shifting movement is in a general horizontal direction and its lateral selecting movement in a general vertical'direction, as the shifting lever is usually mounted on the steering column of the vehicle, which column inclines/forwardly and downwardly from" the steering wheel.

I designates the steering column; 2 the steering wheel. 3 designates the gear box in which the shiftable' elements, gears and/or clutches are located; and 4 the housing for the shifters, this being usually the cover of the gear box. 5, 8 and 1 designate the shifters, which are here illustrated as sliding rods mounted in the housing 4, three shift rods being here shown, because the mechanism is adapted for a four speed forward and reverse transmission gearing.

8 (Figure 7) designates a selector operable by the selecting movement of the selecting and shifting lever. to select any one of the rods 5, 6

and 1 and interlock with the unselected rods to hold them from shifting movement.

l8 designates the selecting and shifting lever; and II the pump actuated thereby during the fore-and-aft shifting movement of the lever l8.

l2 and I3 designate, respectively, the conduits betweenthe casing of the pump II on opposite sides of the movable member or piston of the pump and fluid-operated pressure devices, as cyl-- inders and pistons arranged to shift the selected rod in one direction or the other, in accordance with the fore-and-aft movement of the lever |l,

in its selected position, the lever l8 being moved forward from neutral position to effect certain gear shifts and rearward from neutral position to effect other gear shifts.

The lever mechanism and the pump II are carried near the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the steering column I, the pump being located below the floor or in front of the dash of the vehicle.

The position of the hand lever I8 is indicated by a guide plate |4 having the usual slots |5, I8 and I1 therein. This guide plate I4 is here shown as carried at the outer edge of a, bracket orquadrant l8 supported by a split clamp I! on the steering column I. The lever II is carried by a bracket'2ll mounted on a hollow rock shaft 2 extending along the steering column and having its upper end journalled' in a suitable bearing 22 in the quadrant l8, and its lower end joumalledin the casing of the pump II, as will be presently described. The bracket 28 has a hub 23 secured to the rock shaft 2|. The lvfil' ll is pivoted to the bracket at 24 on an axis spaced from, or eccentric to, the rock shaft 2| and is movable about this axis 24 during its selecting .movement. The lever It has an arm 25 extending into the upper end of the hollow rock shaft 2| through a slot 26 for operating motion-transmitting means which transfers the selecting movement of the lever to the selector 8.

- The motion-transmitting mechanism comprises a slide 21 in the upper end of the hollow rock shaft 2| and a Bowden wire 28 secured at one end to the slide and its other end at 29 (Figure 7) to one end of the selector 8, the Bowden wire extending lengthwise of the rock shaft 2| and out through a slot 3|! (Figure 5) in the rock shaft 'near the floor board or the pump.

The sheathe or cable 3| of the Bowden wire is anchored by a collar or sleeve 32 within the upper end of the hollow shaft 2| below the sliding block 21 and at its other end at 33 to the casing or the cover 4 in line with the passage in which the selector 8 works. The cable or sheathing ll of the Bowden wire is anchored in place at the shift lever end by a set screw 24 coacting with the sleeve 32 this set screw extends through the'hub 23 of the bracket 20 and holds the shift lever bracket 20 in position. The cable ,or sheathing of the Bowden wire 28 is anchored to the housing 4 by taper nuts 35 which clamp thereon, these screwing into the end of the passage in which the selector is located. This is illustrated best in Figure 9.

The cable is adjusted to the proper length when The arm 26 of the lever It) extends into a socket in the slide or block 21 and has a ball at its end coacting with'the walls of the socket. Obviously, movement of the lever in one direction or the other about the pivot or axis 24 causes the slide to move up or down and shift the selector 8 through the Bowden wire 28. The fore or aft movement of the lever l8 effects the rocking of the hollow rock shaft 2| through the bracket 24, which now acts as a crank, and actuates the movable member or piston of the pump l tocomplete the gear shift, as will be presently described, the lever I0, now fulcruming at'the end of the arm 25 on the block 21.

The selector 8 (Figures 7 and 9) is slidable in a suitable passage in the housing or cover 4 wise of and preferably under the rods 5, 8, 1. The

selector 8 is formed with grooves 21, 88 and 89 arranged to come into alinement with the shifters or rods 5, 8, 1 and when shifted, so that one groove is in alinement with its rod, the other grooves are out of alinement with their rods, and lock the unselected rod or rods from shifting movement. The groove 21,- which coacts with the shift rod 4, is alined with the groove when the lever II is in central or neutral position or in the position indicated in Figure 2. In this a position, the lever ||l is alined with the third or fourth speed,slot I! of the guide plate H. The shifter 8 is also formed with additional grooves 40, 4| and 42 for coacting with a spring-pressed ball or poppet 42 which locates the selector in its between the grooves 48 and 4| is higher or of greater diameter than the full the grooves 48 and 42.

when the shift or selecting movement of the lever 18 into alinement with the reverse speed slot l5 of'the guide I4 is made, the selector is portion between actuated to cause the full portion-44 to ratchet past the spring-pressed poppet preliminarily to bringing the groove 4| into alinement with the poppet. Thus, a greater'resistance is ofiered to the shifting of the selector 8 when selectingthe reverse shifter rod 6, so that the operatorwill make a conscious effort in selecting the reverse gear. Spring-pressed poppets 48 located in bores in suitable bosses 49 on the housing or cover 4 coact with notches, as 50, in the rods to locate the rods in neutral or shifted positions.

In Figure 9, the selector, designated 8 is of the same construction as' that shown in Figure '7, but is reversely arranged. The arrangement in Figure 7 being for a left handdrive, and that in Figure 9 is for a right hand drive, and in Figure '7, the grooves 40, 4| and 42 arelocated toward the end of the rod to which the Bowden which the selector is located is interchangeable with the taper nut closing theother end. The shift rods 5, 8 and I are formed with transverse notches 41 which, when shifted, select one of the rods, in order to lock the unselected rod from inadvertent shifting movement.

In Figures 11 and 12, a modified form of selector is shown, which will be hereinafter described.

The pump I I (Figures 5 and 6) includes a suitable casing and a movable member or piston actuated by the rock shaft 2| during the fore-andaft movement of the lever It. This casing, as

ing column by a split clamp 5| and is located and held from displacement by a pin 52 extendher with which the latter valve. is associated is relieved of the pressure, thus making the shifting easier and-eliminating friction from fluid pressure.

,In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, these valves 64, which are shown as balls, are connected together by a bar 64 for transmitting the motion of either to the other, so that kept engaged with the walls of the cylinder by sheet metal dished washersiifi pressedinto the cup by springs 61 encircling a stem 58 on the piston and thrusting at one end against the dished washer and-at its other end against an abutment 59 on the stem. The piston 59 is located in its starting position by a spring-pressed poppet at 10, similar to the poppet 48, which poppet Ill coacts with the groove II in one of the piston heads. In Figure 10, a pump embodying an oscillating or vane piston is shown instead of a reciprocating piston, as will be presently described. U

Each piston 60 and BI is provided with ducts or ports lill and Bi respectively opening through their pressure faces and also through their pe-.

ripheries, the ends opening through the peripheries registering with ports Gl in the wall 'of the piston chambers and opening into the reservoir 54, when the pistons 60, 5| are in neutral or starting position. By this construction, the piston chambers are in communication with the reservoir 54 to permit the hydraulic fiuid'to enter or leave, when necessary, when the pistons are in central or neutral position, or these ducts and ports permit the piston chambers and the hydraulic system to fill up with the hydraulic best seen in Figure 6, is supported on the steeringinto the space between sections of the clamp and the recess 53 in the steering column.

In the form shown in Figures 5 and 6, the casing is formed with a reservoir 54 for hydraulic liquid and with opposed piston chambers or cylinders 55, 56 which open through the ends of the body of the casing and which are closed by heads 5'! and 58. The movable member of the pump is a double piston 59, the heads 60 and GI of which work in the cylinders 55, 56 respectively. The piston is actuated from the rock shaft 2! through a rock arm 52 secured to the shaft 2| to rock therewith, and working in a transverse recess 63 in the double piston between the heads thereof, the rock arm 62 having a ball at its end coacting with the walls of the recess. The piston chambers and 56 communicate with the reservoir through suitable check valves, here shown, as ball check valves 84, which permit the oil or hydrauio liquid. to flow into the cylinders and the hydraulic system communicating with the cylinders, when the pistons are idle or not holding the hydraulic fluid under pressure. inder 55, 55 which is closed when the piston in its cylinder is actuated to apply pressure, while fluid, if necessary, when the pistons 60 andBl are in neutral position, so that the system is kept filled with hydraulic fluid.

The oil reservoir is formed with a filler opening closed by a plug 12 having a vent 13 opening therein for preventing the system from becoming air-bound. The rear wall 14 of the casingof the pump II. is separable from the body of the casing and is provided with a bearing 15 in which the lower end of the rock shaft 2| is journalled and this bearing is provided with a suitable joint or seal 15 for preventing working of the oil or hydraulic liquid out of the casing of the pump II. This removable wa1l14 also permits the assembly of the rock arm with the piston and the assembly of the rock arm 52 on 'for actuating the shift rods is shown best in Figures 7 and 8. These devices are of the cylinder and piston type, and in the forms shown in Figures 7 and 8, each shift rod 5, 6 and I is acted on by pistons at its opposite ends working in cylinders formed in the housing or cover 4 for the gear box, one piston operating its shift rod in one direction, and the other in the opposite direction.

I8, 19 and designate the cylinders for like ends'of rods 5, 5 and I; and 8|, 82 and 83 designate the cylinders for the other ends. '84 and 85 (Figure 8) are illustrative of the pistons in each of the piston cup against the cylinder wall.

shift rod, is provided a seal 92.

, opening 81 is so located as to be protected fromoil'entering in' any manner from the gear box into the chamber 86, and hence the cylinder. Any lubricating oil from the gear box' working along the shaft into the recess or chamber is free to drain out. Each piston 84 or 85 is provided with a piston cup 881 of rubber composition or other suitable material, and a stamped metal washer 98 is used to spread the lip of the piston cup to insure a good seal between the piston and will be pulled upwardly and the selector 8 moved downwardly (Figure 7) bringing the groove 88 of the selector into alinement with the reverse shift rod 6, the high part 44 between the grooves 48, 4| ratcheting past the spring-pressed poppet 4|.

Thelever I8 pivots about the axis 24 during this op ration.

Now, upon movement of the lever I8 into the slot II, the bracket 28, and hence the hollow rock the walls of the cylinder. The metal washer is perforated, so that when the fluid is under pressure, the pressure on opposite sides of the washer is equalized and additional pressurehot applied to the sealing lip 89 of the piston cup 88. A suitable spring 9| interposed between the washer 98 and the head, to be described, of 'the piston chamber applies enough pressure to hold the lip the end of each piston, toward the end of the This is for the purpose of wiping the cylinder wall clean and along the shift rod, and hence prevent the lubricating oil from fouling the cylinder walls. The piston is preferably a floating piston or free from the shifting fork.

93 and 94 designate the heads of the cylinders I8, I9, 88 and 8|, 82, 83, respectively, the head 98 being common to the cylinders I8, I9 and 88, and

the head 94 common to the cylinders 8|, 82 and 83.

to these parts, as by suitable couplers 98,99 and I88, IIII. Each header 98 or 94 is provided with asuitable plug or bleeder screw I82 (Figure 'I) normally closing the recess or channel andhaving a vent passage I88 therein. The bleeder screws or plugs I82 are interchangeable with the couplings I88, I8I, so that the headers 98 and 94 can be reversed for a left hand drive in the same manner that the plug 46 and'theends of the passage for the selector are interchangeable.

In operation, the system is filled with hydraulic liquid through the opening normally closed by theplug I2 of the pump casing (Figure 5) The bleeder screws or plugs I82 are loosened to pershaft' 2| will be rocked about the sliding block 21, as a fulcrum, this rocking the arm 62 of the pump to the left (Figure 6), forcing the piston 59 to the left, causingthe piston head to displace the oil in the pipe I2 and the cylinder 55 and apply pressure in the cylinder and shift the reverse shift rod 6. I

Upon movement of the lever I8 forwardly in the reverse direction in the slot II back into neutral position, the hollow rock shaft 2| will be rocked in the reverse direction, causing the rock arm 62 to actuate the piston 59 to the right (Figfree of lubricating oil that might work its wayand 94 respectively, the conduits being connected mit the air to escape, and hence the hydraulic the slot I I of the guide plate I4, the block 21 5.

ure 6) and the piston head 64 to displace the oil from the cylinder 66 in the conduit I8 and into the header 94 and cylinder 82, causing the piston to shift the reverse shifter rod in the opposite direction back to neutral.

The pressure is applied in all the cylinders, .but owing to the fact that the unselected shift rods are locked by the selector, only the selected one can respond to the pressure applied by the operation of the pump piston 59.

Upon shifting of the lever I8 from neutral into the slot I6 of the guide plate I4, the inner end of the arm 25 of the lever I8 is pushed downward, pushing the Bowden wire 28 to push the selector 8 so that the groove 89 is in line with the shift rod I8, and full portions of the selector 8 lock the rods 5 and 6 from shifting.

Now, upon movement forwardly of the lever along the slot I6, that is, upwardly in Figures 2 and 3, which is the fore movement of the foreand-af-t movement of the lever I8, the shaft 2| will be rocked clockwise in Figure 6, causing the rock arm 62 to move the piston 69 to the right, displacing the liquid in the cylinder 56 through the pipe 91 to the header 94 and actuate the piston in the cylinder 83 to actuate the shift rod I into first speed forward position, and upon movement of the lever I8 in-the slot I6 back to central position, the piston 58 moves in the reverse direction or to the left (Figure 6) and displaces the oil through the pipe I2 to the header 83. toward the lower end thereof (Figure 2) causes the pressure to be continued in the particular cylinder 88 and shift the rod thereof toward the right from neutral (Figure 7) to the second speed forward position. The same operation takes place when the lever is moved fromcentral neutral position, when in alinement with the slot I5 to actuate the shift rod 5 to produce either third or fourth speeds forward. when the shift lever I8 is in central neutral position, as-shown in-Flgure 2, it is not necessary to operate the lever I8 .to select the shift rod 5 as normally whenuthe lever I8 is in neutral position (Figure 2), the shift rod 5 is selected and the rods 8 and I locked from shifting movement.

During movement of the piston 59 to the left, or while the check valve 64 seats, the check valve at the opposite end opens, permitting the flow of oil from the reservoir 54 to the cylinder of the inactive piston. The reverse takes place when the piston 59 is Further movement along the slot I6 moved to the right (Figure 6) in which case, the left hand check valve 64 opens and the right hand check valve cmes.

In the form shown in Figure 7, longer throws of the lever III in its fore-and-aft movement is required for the diiferent'gear shifts, as illustrated by the length of the slots fromthe guide rod of which effects third and fourth speeds, and' hence require a short shift in the form shown in Figure 7, may be made with a piston and cyl inder of larger diameter than. the pistons and cylinders cooperating with shift rods-requiring longer shifts (Figure 7) In Figure '10, a pump having an oscillatin vane is shown. III designates the vane or oscillating piston mounted on the end of the hollow rock shaft 2I andworking in the piston chamhence, upon operation of the lever III in the fore or aft direction from neutral, the pressure will be transferred by the pump through the pipe I2 or I3 to the cylinder I32 or I33 and actuate the piston therein to shift the rod I23.

Selecting movement of the gear shifting lever in one direction or theother will cause the rod I22 to be locked to select the block I29 of the Shift rod I25 or the block I28 of the shift rod I24 and then upon the fore or aft movement,

the selected shift rod' will be actuated by the pressure in the cylinder I32 or I33 against the piston I34 or I35. Hence, in this construction shown in Figure 11, but a pair of cylinders is employed to actuate a plural number of shift rods. No positive lockprovision need be made to hold the unselected rods from movement, aside from the spring-pressed poppets, because the unselected shift rods therein resist any pressure, as

her II2 which communicates with the reservoir II3 through portIIl. The piston III works between two abutments .5 and H6 and the piston chamber communicates with the conduits I2 and I3 at the opposite sides of the Piston and near the abutment II5, with an upwardly extending radial post or arm II'I diametrically opposite-to the vane vI-II and carrying a spring-pressed poppet "6 which coacts with a suitable socket [I9 in the wall of the cylinder to locate the vane or piston, when in central position. Also, the hub of the vane is provided with diametrically opposite recesses or vents I20, I-2I which normally provide passages for the hydraulic liquid at the inner ends of the abutmen-ts II 5, II6, these recesses performing a function similar to that of the check valves 64 (Figure 6) except that both are cut off or closed,

upon actuation of the piston 1 II in either direction from neutral.

In Figure 11, a construction is illustrated by which one set or pair of cylinders and pistons is employed to shift any one of the shift rods, instead of a pair of cylinders and pistons for each shift rod, and in the construction shown in Figures 1 1 and 12,'the rod that is shifted is assoelated with the selector.

I'22 designates an axially shiftable selector rod slidably mounted in the coverfor the gear box parallel to the shift rods I23, I24, I25, the selector rod being also movable about its axis and having a selecting finger I28 for interlocking in notches in the shifter blocks I21, I23 "and I29 on the shift rods respectively. The selector rod also has a finger I30 extending into a groove 'in an actuator I3I, the groove being long enough to receive the finger I30 in anv shifted position of the rod I22. The actuator I3I is connected to the Bowden wire '28. The rod I22 extends at its opposite ends into .the .cylinders I32- and I33 in The piston III is formed means operated by the lever during the shifting in the construction shown in Figure 7, when the selected rod is being shifted.

What we claim is: 1. The combination with the shifters and selector of a selective change-speed transmission gearing, a housing for the shifters and the selector, the shifters being shift rods and the housing being formed with pressure chambers in which the ends of the rods 'work, pistons slidable in said chambers, and coacting with the rods to shift the same, a header common to the piston chambers at like ends of the rod, a selecting and shifting lever having a selecting movement to operate the selector and a shifting movement, a pump including a reversely-movable member. operable to supply hydraulic liquid to the headers in accordance with the direction of movement of the movable pump member, and

movement for operating the movable pump memher in one direction or the other. v

2. The combination with a shifting and selecting mechanism of a selective change-speed transmissiongearing, said mechanism including a plurality ofshift rods; of pressure-operated devices foroperating the shift rods including a pair of cylinders and pistons operating in opposite directions on opposite ends of each shift rod,

..a header common to all the cylinders at like ends which work pistons I34 and I-35, similar in conof the shift rods, a closed hydraulic system including branches connected respectively to the headers, and means for selecting the ;hift rod to be shifted and locking the other shift rods from movement and for shifting the selected rod including a lever having a selecting and shifting movement, connections operated thereby during the selecting movement to select a predetermined shift rod, and means operated by the lever during the shifting movement .to apply pressure through one or the other of said branches.

3. The combination with the shifters and selector of a selective change speed transmission gearing, a housing for the shifters and the selector, the selector operating to lock the unselected shifters from movement, the shifters being shift rods and the housing being formed with pressure chambers in which the ends of the rods work,'pistons slidable in said chambers and coacting with the shift rods to shift the same, a header common to the piston chambers at like ends of the rods, a selecting and shifting lever having a selecting movement to operate the selector and a shifting movement, a pump including a reversely movable member operable to sup- .ply hydraulic iiquid to one or the other of the headers in accordance with the direction of the ment to operate the selector to select one shitt rod and lock the others from movement.

CARL, n. PETERSON. I ROBERT" R. BURKHALTER. EIMER J, BARTH. 

